Dispensing-counter



W. L. HUMPHERYS.

DISPENSING COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY H, 1919.

1,339,652. Pfltfillted y 11, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I;

mum H201 w. L. HUMPHERYS,

DISPENSING COUNTER.

PPEICATION FILED JULY L1 1.91.9. 11,

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WILLIAM LUTI-IER HUMPHERYS, OF SARASOTA, FLORIDA.

DISPENSING-COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ll, 1920.

Application filed July 11, 1919. Serial No. 310,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. HUM- PHERYS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sarasota, in the county of Manatee and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing-Counters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to store furnishings, and particularly to counters.

The general object of my invention is to provide a store counter of ordinary form, but having therein a plurality of rotatably and slidably mounted bins normally entirely housed within the counter, but shiftable to a position where the contents may be removed by the clerk behind the counter, and in this connection to provide a bin so mounted that it will be returned to its original and housed position with the contents fully protected when released by the clerk.

Another object is to provide pedal operated means for shifting the bin to its open or discharge position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a counter of the character before stated with a compartment designed to hold cheese or other like commodity, the bottom of the compartment being provided with a slide upon which the commodity is designed to rest, which slide is actuated by a pedal to withdraw it from the compartment, the compartment being provided with a drawer, opened when it is desired to withdraw the slide, carrying the commodity to a posltion where the cheese may be cut.

A further object is to provide a construetion of this character which is particularly convenient for the display of goods and the dispensing thereof, and to provide a suitable support for paper bagsof various characters and sizes in accordance with the commodity being spent and which will form a proper support for rolls of paper, weighingscales, twine receptacles, etc.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a counter constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4c is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to these drawings, it will be bin which is disposed beneath the counter,

and each compartment is designed to indicate the character of the goods carried within its corresponding bin, the compartments being filled full so that apparently the observer is looking into the bin itself. The top 11 extends nearly the entire length of the counter, but at one end the counter is formed with a cheese compartment 15, the top of which may be formed of glass and the front of which has a glass panel 16. The bottom of this compartment is formed by a slide 17 and the back of the compartment has a hinged door 18 which, when it is open, permits the slide to bepulled out.

This slide 17 rests upon a transversely extending board 19 forming the bottom of the cheese compartment 15, this board being slotted and the slide being provided with a downwardly extending arm 20 engaged by a bell-crank lever 21, the extremity of which lever extends out through the back of the counter and is formed to provide a pedal 22. A spring 20 causes the retraction of the slide when the pedal is released. It will be obvious now that by opening the door 18 and depressing the pedal 22, the slide may be shifted outward to carry with it the cheese and the cheese knife or cutter which is usually used in dispensing cheese. Normally, the cheese is entirely protected from the attacks of flies or other insects, being entirely housed within the compartment 15. I

At the back of the counter there is a panel 28 with a plurality of openings 24, and vertical and transverse members divide the space between the front and rear walls of the panel in a plurality of compartments. The transverse members above referred to and designated 25 form supports for the bins. Each bin is approximately rectangular in form and has a bottom and four sides, the front wall 26 being disposed within the aperture 24 of the rear wall of the counter and normally filling this aperture. Each bin is rotatably mounted upon projecting trunnions 27, which rest upon the transverse members 25, and the bin will also slide longitudinally. The upper end'of the bin is curved, and this upper end is partly closed by a "transverse sheathing 28. A spring29 is attached to the rear wall of the counter and the bottom of the bin and tends to re s'ist any rotational movement oi the bin and return it to its upright position. A pedal 30 is attached to each bin and so d'is posed that it maybe convenientlyoperated by the clerk. When it is desired to secure access to a'bin,'the pedal is depressed, thus causing the bin to rotate upon its axis, in an obvious manner, so that the contents of the bin may "be readily removed by means of a scoop. Inasmuchas the bins are disposed entirely within the counter and the counter is closed at its sides and ends, it is obvious that the contents of the bin will be protected from dust and dirt.

Preferab'ly,there will be mounted above one or more of the bins a hinged flap 31 which, when the bin is in its normal position, rests over the opening thereof, preventing the entrance of dust, mice or rats, andthe lower face of this closure is provided with a spring clip 32 for holding paper bags. An assortment of paper bags may be held in each spring clip, or the paper bags may be distributed in accordance with the manner in which certain commodities are sold. The top of the compartment is provided with a door or doors whereby access may be had to this spring clip. Thus, if these commodities are normally sold in pound lots, paper bags of this size will be used, or for five 1: oundlots, paper bags of this size will be disposed in conjunction with the bin.

The top of the counter constitutes means for supporting paper rolls 34 adjacent each end and a weighing scale 35 at the middle of the counter.

It will be seen that this counter is very simple, and extremely convenient for dispensing articles of the character stated. It may be used for dispensing sugar, salt, cofi'ee, beans, feed, and like commodities, though it is obvious that it is not limited to this use.

'VV'hile I have i lustrated in the drawing only a relatively few bins, it will be obvious that the longer the counter, the greater the number of bins will be mounted therein.

WVhile I have illustrated a form of my invention which I believe to be particularly effective, yet I do not wish to be limited to this, as it is obvious that many changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A counter having therein a .conipartment with a hinged door in one vertical wall, a slide resting upon :the bottom of said compartment and slidable horizontally out through the space normally ,closed by said door, a pedal mounted in the counter, a rod extending downward from the slide with which the inner end of the. pedal is operatively engaged, and a spring normally holding the slide retracted.

2. A counter having therein .a compartment with ahinged door, a slide mounted in the compartment and .slidable horizonta-lly out through the space normally closed by said door, the bottom .of'the compartment being formed with a slot extending parallel to the path of movement oi the slide, a pedal projecting out from the counter and pivoted in the space inclosed by said counter and having a rearwardly and upwardly projecting portion formed its extremity with a loop, the slide having a downwardly extending pin passing through said slot in the bottom of the compartment engaged by said loop, and a spring normally 7 holding the slide retracted.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature in the :presence of two witnesses.

"WILIJIAM LUTHER HUMPHERYS.

Witnesses T. A. HUGHES, FRANK 'Rmm. 

